I'm writing this just as much for myself as
I am for you. I don't have a child who is a picky eater, but I have a
husband who is one. He doesn't mind trying new things, but getting
him to eat vegetables can be and adventure in and of itself.
Sometimes I feel like I'm married to a five-year-old! He's gotten
better, but it's still a work in progress. Between you and I,
hopefully we can figure out ways to 'sneak' healthy foods into the
picky eaters in our lives.
One thing that worked well for us is
'hiding' them in things that they already like, and try to 'step up'
from there. For instance, you can mix small pieces of steamed
zucchini or squash into a pasta sauce. If your kids don't like the
'chunkier' kind, it's possible to puree or cut them up small enough
to where they won't be as noticeable. If it works and they like it,
perhaps you can work up to larger pieces until you don't have to
spend as much time on it. You can probably do the same thing with
other vegetables such as carrots, onions and mushrooms, especially
since onions and mushrooms go well with pasta anyway. You can buy
sauces with 'hidden' vegetables, but sometimes it's cheaper to make
your own.
Speaking of 'hidden' vegetables, there
are several fruit juices out now that mix in a serving a vegetables
in such a way that you can't tell they're there. This way, they can
still get their fruits and veggies in their drinks as well as or
instead of their food. V8 V-Fusion has several varieties, including
some that include green tea. I've tried the Peach Mango, Strawberry
Banana and Blueberry Pomegranate, and can attest that you can't taste
anything but the fruit. The only complaint I've ever gotten from my
husband is that the juices can be kind of thick. Mott's Medleys also
makes juices of this sort, and theirs tend to be a bit 'lighter' in
that way. If price is an issue (sometimes the V-Fusion goes for
$3+!), many grocery stores have come out with their own versions that
are every bit as healthy but for a lower price. They are 100% juice
(well, except for the ones with tea), so they are more nutritionally
complete than your average watered-down juice blend.
Finally, you can let a picky eater take
part in food selections. If you take them to the grocery store with
you (which you probably do), let them make a few choices. After all,
they're more likely to eat something if they chose it themselves.
Give them a 'range' to choose from. If they like cereal bars, pick
the brand and let them choose the flavor. For pasta, pick the brand
and let them choose the shape. Giving them choices-however
small-helps them feel like they have some sort of 'power' and aren't
being 'made' to eat anything. Face it, if we're made to do
something, aren't we that much more inclined to dislike it? This
human impulse isn't going to change anytime soon, so you might as
well work around it!
I'm sure there are many more ideas out
there, but I will leave you with these. Let me know how they work!
Good luck!
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